The instant invention relates to display boxes and more particularly to a hinged box construction comprising hingeably connected top and bottom sections which are preferably of identical configuration.
It has generally been found that boxes comprising hingeably connected top and bottom sections can be effectively utilized for storing, transporting, and/or displaying a wide variety of articles, including various jewelry items, writing instruments and gift items. It has been further found that boxes of this general type can often be effectively made in constructions which include hingeably interfitting top and bottom sections which are molded from suitable plastic materials. However, the heretofore available box constructions of this type have generally comprised top and bottom sections having interfitting ball and socket elements along the rear walls thereof in order to hingeably connect the top and bottom sections thereof. It has generally been found that the ball and socket elements of boxes of this type are relatively fragile, and it has been further found that the initial tooling costs associated with manufacturing boxes of this type are often inherently high due to the relatively intricate nature of the ball and socket assemblies thereof.
The instant invention provides an improved box construction of the general type comprising hingeably connected top and bottom sections which overcomes many of the disadvantages of the heretofore available box constructions of this type. Specifically, the box construction of the instant invention comprises a top section including a top wall portion, a depending top sidewall on the top wall and a top hinge portion on the top sidewall portion, and a bottom section including a bottom wall, an upstanding bottom sidewall portion on the bottom wall, and a bottom hinge portion on the bottom sidewall portion. The top and bottom hinge portions are adapted to be assembled as a hinge assembly which includes spaced, substantially aligned first and second top hinge bars on the top sidewall portion and spaced substantially aligned first and second bottom hinge bars on the bottom sidewall portion. The first top hinge bar is received in substantially aligned engagement between the first and second bottom hinge bars and the first bottom hinge bar is received in substantially aligned engagement between the first and second top hinge bars. The hinge assembly further includes a first pair of ball and socket elements on the adjacent ends of the first top hinge bar and the second bottom hinge bar and a second pair of ball and socket elements on the adjacent ends of the first bottom hinge bar and the second top hinge bar, wherein the ball and socket elements cooperate to pivotably retain the first and second top hinge bars in substantially aligned relation with the first and second bottom hinge bars in order to hingeably connect the top and bottom sections together. One end of the first bottom hinge bar preferably engages the adjacent end of the first top hinge bar in order to maintain the socket assemblies in assembled engagement and the second top hinge bar and the second bottom hinge bar preferably define the opposite ends of the hinge assembly. The box construction is preferably constructed so that the top sidewall portion includes a rear top wall which terminates in a lower edge and so that the bottom sidewall portion includes a rear bottom wall which terminates in an upper edge and the top and bottom hinge bars are preferably integrally formed along the lower edge of the top rear wall and along the upper edge of the bottom rear wall, respectively. Further, the top and bottom hinge bars preferably have lower and upper faces, respectively, which are spaced downwardly and upwardly, respectively, from the lower and upper edges, respectively, and rear faces which are spaced rearwardly slightly from the top and bottom rear walls, respectively, and the rear faces of the top and bottom hinge bars are engageable with the upper and lower edges of the bottom and top rear walls, respectively, in order to prevent the top section from being pivoted rearwardly beyond a predetermined angular position wherein it is in substantially perpendicular relation to the bottom section. Still further, the top and bottom sections, including the top and bottom hinge portions thereof, respectively, are preferably of substantially identical configuration and they are preferably each integrally molded from a suitable plastic material.
It has been found that the box construction of the instant invention has significant advantages over the heretofore available boxes of this general type. In particular, the box construction of the instant invention, in its preferred embodiment, can be manufactured with substantially reduced tooling costs because the top and bottom sections are substantially identical. Further, the hinge bars and the ball and socket elements of the top and bottom hinge portions of the box construction are inherently substantially more rugged and durable than the ball and socket assemblies of the heretofore available box constructions. In addition, the hinge bars of the top and bottom hinge portions effectively cooperate to prevent the top section from being pivoted or hinged rearwardly beyond a predetermined angular position wherein it is in substantially perpendicular relation to the bottom section.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an improved box construction comprising hingeably connected top and bottom sections.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a box construction comprising substantially identical hingeably connected top and bottom sections.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective box construction which can be manufactured with relatively low initial tooling costs.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.